It's Not A Prank.

Chapter 12: Creating Our Own Path

Rose:

     It had been a few weeks since the letter. I still hadn't responded, and I wasn't planning on doing so soon. The holidays were close, and I was more focused on my studies, the tournament, and getting gifts than him and Fred had been difficult to shop for. There was so much to get him. I had intended on getting him something with a rose on it, but I needed something else too. 

      His second gift was taking much longer to figure out. There were so many things I wished I could give him.  Sweets, anything from Zonko's, or even a new prank idea that out did all the rest.  He'd love it nonetheless, but it was still difficult. I was already getting George some other prank stuff and Lee was getting a collection of some muggle joke books. 

     One time while strolling muggle London, he found one of the joke books and couldn't put it down. Even with being threatened with a jinx, he still refused. I had to buy him the book with the rest of my muggle money, which he swore to pay back (no such luck). 

     Unlike his second gift, the first one was fairly easy to work out. I picked out a silver chain with a small rose charm that glinted in the sunlight and glowed in the moonlight. I had added an enchantment to the rose to always know where to find me. Fred would simply hold it in his fingers and ask where I was and in my own voice, it would respond. I felt as though it could come in handy soon; things hadn't felt right since the summer, but again that could just be from finding out about my dad. We also haven't had the map in a couple years, and it had proven useful, time and time again.

     That thought had crossed my mind a few times. The idea of making something new. Maybe not another map, but another thing. Something smaller, that can be held in a single hand. It would have some qualities from the map, but it would be our own.  I had a few things in mind but still couldn't decide. I didn't know if I would mention anything to the boys until it was done. It could be like a side quest of my own. The charms wouldn't be too hard alone either. I quite enjoyed doing them as well.  It was my favorite class and my first of the day. 

     The lesson had just started when Professor Flitwick introduced the Gouging Spell. The idea of it was to be able to dig deep into the earth and with it one could create passageways. Which in the hands of our little Firebrands group, maybe not the best of ideas. I could see us creating many passageways throughout the castle. One being from my dorm to theirs. It wouldn't be one of our worst ideas and we had plenty of those. I looked to the boys next to me, and they returned the peak of interest.

"Oi, reckon we could make some pretty interesting tunnels." Fred whispered.

"Indeed. Fancy some planning later?" George answered.

"Maybe something to the kitchens. Hate the walk down there after dark. Filch and Mrs. Norris have been worse lately." Lee chimed in.

"Lee, do you always think with your stomach?" I asked.

"Oi, aren't you the one that made us miss dinner the other night?" 

"It wasn't on purpose." I snapped back.

"You four, quiet down." Flitwick shot from the front of the classroom. 

     Professor Flitwick went on to fully explain the spell and movement, all while I scribble notes onto my parchment.  The lesson seemed to drag once he started going into the history of the spell and with it my mind began to wander.  I only caught shreds of the lesson, but once he got to its use with Herbology, my interest returned. With a swish of his wand, dozens of tiny pots flew out to the desks. Each beautiful little brown pot was painted with tiny baby pink flowers around the rim. Inside was a small amount of loose dirt. Another wand wave later, and seedlings floated out to match the pots.